Combination seal, drip tube, and dispensing unit



Jan. 4, 1949. f i J, SHAW' 2,458,106

COMBINATION SEAL, DRIP TUBE, AND DISPENSING UNITv Filed `June 3, 1947` Patented `Ian. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEA COMBINATION SEAL, DRIP TUBE,IAND DISPENSING UNIT John Shaw, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 3, 1947, Serial No.` 752,114

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a unit adapted to seal a bottle containing liquid, and when desired to provide air to said bottle so that the liquid therein may be dispensed, and in the same combination to supply the features and advantages of a visible drip tube.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a unit which may readily be attached to a container containing liquid, to sea1 the container, said unit having means for providing air for the bottle to displace the liquid therein and permit the liquid to flow therefrom. Another object is to so construct my unit that it also functions as a visible drip tube.

My invention also contemplates -such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred form of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a detailed sectional View of my unit in sealed position on a container; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2*-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my device; Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view of my device on a container, in use; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the complete apparatus; and Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view of another embodiment.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a body member lil made of rubber or other suitable material, adapted to be attached to a transparent bottle or other suitable container II containing sterile liquid to be dispensed for parenteral injection. The body member I has a bottom I2 with wedge shaped side walls I3. Extending upwardly and integrally from the bottom I2 is a stretchable cord I5, which eX- tends to integral top portion I6. Top portion Iii has side walls I1 and an over-hanging flange I8. The side walls I1 engage the walls I4 within container II and ange I8 rests on top of s'ide walls I4.

The walls Ill have an inwardly curved portion 50` just below the neck of container II. Cord I5 is of such a length as to permit walls I3 of bottom I2 to engage the upper narrowing portion of curved portion 50. Cord I is also slightly shorter in normal length than the distance between the contact point of walls I3 with curved portion 5D, and the -engagement of flange I8 2 on top of walls I4. This forces cord I5 to be stretched for 4said contacts, thereby providing a sealing engagement of walls I3 with curved portion 5I) and flange I8 on top of Walls I4. The force set up by the stretching of cord I5 maintains the seal at both ends.

The curved portion 5U varies slightly as container manufacturers will not guarantee a delinite tolerance. Cord I 5 being stretchable permits walls I3 to be moved to that part of curved portion 50 which it can engage for a seal. In this way accommodation for slight variations in curved portion 5I) is provided.

Cord I5 being substantially smaller in diameter than bottom I2 and top I6 leaves space therebetween and with the neck portion of container II forms liquid now chamber 20.

Bottom I2 has an air opening 28 therethrough, providing communication with the interior 23 of container II. Spaced from opening 28 in bottom I2 is a liquid flow opening 2| extending therethrough and through tip 22.

At the laboratory, my container II is lled with suitable solution, and the body member Ill is placed in position in container II as heretofore set forth.

When a parenteral injection is about to be given, a needle 3U is placed on the spot 3l on top portion I6, suitably marked In, or the like. This `spot 3| is directly above the air inlet opening 28. Air from the atmosphere is thereby provided needle 3D, through opening 28 to the interior 23 of container Il.

Another needle 32 is placed on spot 33 on top portion I6, suitably marked Out, or the like. This spot 33 is directly above liquid flow chamber 20. The needle 32 is then pushed through top portion I6 into liquid flow chamber 20, providing communication between needle 32, liquid flow chamber 23, and by opening 2| with the interior 23 of container I I. i

The bottle is `then inverted and its swingable bale 34 is placed on standard 35. To needle 32 is attached suitable tubing 35 and attached at the f opposite end for a parenteral injection is injection needle 31.

Air coming from the atmosphere passes through airneedle 3l] and thus into the interior 23 of container II. This permits flow of the liquid in container II down through liquid opening 2| and tip 22 to liquid iiow chamber 2U. As the liquid drips from tip 22, into liquid flow chamber 20, its dropping, or rate of iiow, is visible through transparent wall I4. The liquid passes downwardly through liquid flow chamber into needle 3 32, through tubing 3S and needle 31 into the patient, A clamp 38 is attached to tubing 36 for regulation of the ow of the liquid.

A variation of my preferred embodiment is to rovide top member I6 with an air inlet opening l and/or a liquid outlet opening 52, each extending therethrough. A covering 44 is provided to vkeep either or both of these openings closed and sanitary. The covering 44 is sealed in position by a removable closure 45 attached to the neck of the container Il. Upon the removal of covering 44 and closure 45, said opening 52 would be accessible to receive suitable connection with tube 36.

In this embodiment, a glass tube 60 extends n through air inlet opening l and continues through air opening 28 down to a lower portion of the interior 23 of container Il.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, instead of my long needle 30, a glass tube 60 similar to that shown in Fig. 6 may be positioned in body member l0 with one end part way through air inlet 3| and the tube 6U extending through air opening 28 down to a lower portion of the interior of container H. A shorter needle 30 may then be positioned in tube 6D by puncturing through air inlet 3 I.

Having thas described .my invention, I claim:

l. In combination with a container having a hollow interior with liquid therein, a transparent neck and an inwardly curved gradually reduced portion connecting the interior with the neck, a body member having spaced top and bottom portions and ya stretchable connecting portion therebetween, said connecting portion substantially smaller in diameter than said top and bottom portions leaving a spiace therebetween to form Awith the .transparent neck a liquid flow chamber, the bottom portion of said body member being slightly l rger in diameter than the diameter of the uppe part of Ithe curved portion of the container, an adapted to seal therewith, the connecting portion of said body member being normally slightly less than the distance between the top of the neck of the container and the inwardly curved portion, said connecting portion stretchable so that said top portion engages the top of the neck of the container, said bottom portion having a liquid flow opening and an air hole corresponding therethrough, said top portion adapted to be pierced by a needle for supplying air from the atmosphere, said top portion also adapted to be pierced by a needle extending within the liquid iiow chamber for receiving liquid from said container, said bottom portion having a hollow integral tip extending within said liquid flow chamber and communicating with the opening in said bottom portion so that when lthe container is inverted the flow of liquid from said tip is visible through the transparent wall of the neck of said container.

2. In combination with a container having a hollow interior with liquid therein, a transparent neck and an inwardly curved gradually reduced portion connecting .the interior with the neck, a body member having spaced top and bottom portions and a stretchable connecting portion therebetween, said connecting portion substantially smaller in diameter than said top and bottoni port-ions leaving a space therebetween to form with the transparent neck a liquid flow chamber, the bottom portion of said body member being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the upper part lof the curved portion of the' container, and adapted to seal therewith,

the connecting portion of said body member being normally slightly less than the distance between the top of Ithe neck of the container and the inwardly curved portion, said connecting portion stretchable so that said top portion engages the top of lthe neck of the container, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough providing communication with the 'interior of the container, said body member having an air passage communicating with the interior of the container, means for sealing the top of said air passage, said means and said air passage adapted so that said air passage may be reached by an air supply, said top member adapted to permit communication with said liquid flow chamber.

3. In combination with a container having a hollow interior with liquid therein, a transparent neck and an inwardly curved gradually reduced portion connecting the interior with the neck, a body member having spaced top and bottom portions and a stretchable connec-ting portion therebetween, said connecting portion substantially smaller in diameter than said top and bottom portions leaving a space therebetween to form .with the transparent neck a liquid flow chamber, the bottom portion of said vbody member being slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the upper part of the curved portion of the container, and adapted toiseal therewith, the lconnecting portion of said body member being normally slightly less than the ditsance between the top of the neck of the container and the inwardly curved portion, said connecting portion stretchable so that said top lportion engages the top of the neck of the` container, said bottom portion having means .to permit passage of air and liquid therethrough, said upper portion hav ing air and liquid passages, and Va-removablek cover for sealing said passages.

4. In combination with a container having a hollow interior with liquid therein, a transparent neck and an inwardly curved gradually reduced portion connecting the interior with the neck, a body member having spaced'top and Ibottom portions and a stretchable connecting portion therebetween, said `connecting portion Substantially smaller in diameter than said top and bot tom portions leaving a space therebetween to form with the transparent neck a liquid iiow chamber, ythe bottom portion of said body member being slightly larger in diameter than the 'diameter of the upper part of the curved portion of the container, and adapted to seal therewith, the connecting portion of said body member being normally :slightly less than the distance between the top of the neck of the container and the inwardly curved porti-on, said connecting portion stretchable so that said top portion engages the top of the neck of the container, said body member having an opening permitting communication between said liquid flow chamber and said container, means for supplying air through said body member to said container, and means permitting communication with said liquid flow chamber to permit flow of liquid from said container. i

JOHN SAI-IAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

